Man uses SUV without permission in East Pikeland, lands in jail

EAST PIKELAND — After potentially violating a restraining order, police arrested a man for DUI while driving a vehicle for which he did not have permission to be behind the wheel.

East Pikeland Police arrived at the first block of Buckwalter Road around 10:30 p.m. Aug. 1 for the report of a potential violation of a protection from abuse order. Before police arrived, however, the suspect, later identified as Kenneth Louis Goss, 57, allegedly left the area in a blue Ford Bronco, according to an affidavit of probable cause tied to the case.

Police eventually saw the Bronco on Route 724 headed east. An officer attempted to stop the SUV but it “accelerated to about 65 mph” before police could catch up to it.

After activating emergency lights, the Bronco “slowed” but continued driving another eigth of a mile east, according to the affidavit, before turning into the driveway of a property on the 1000 block of Snyder Avenue.

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Goss reportedly started getting out but police ordered him back into the Bronco.

“He partially complied by sitting back onto the driver’s seat but with his feet on the ground,” police said. “This was after ordering him three times.”

Police asked Goss if he had been on Buckwalter Road, to which Goss allegedly responded that he’d been looking for a car jack he left behind.

The officer on scene reportedly detected alcohol on Goss’ breath.

“He swayed when he stood,” the affidavit said. “His speech was slurred and his eyes were glassy and bloodshot.”

Goss allegedly failed two field-sobriety tests and blew a 0.17 on a preliminary breath test.

Police said Goss provided a non-driver’s Pennsylvania photo identification card which, after being run through the in-car computer system, allegedly showed that Goss’ license had previously been suspended for a DUI offense and that there was a warrant for his arrest out of Georgia.

It is unclear what offense is connected to the warrant.

After being placed under arrest, Goss was transported to Phoenixville Hospital for a blood draw. Results from that draw were not included in the affidavit.

It was also allegedly determined that Goss took the Bronco without permission of its owner. The woman told police that Goss stays at her house but he took the vehicle without her permission or anyone else’s, the affidavit said.

Goss was arraigned the next day on charges of theft by unlawful taking, a felony, receiving stolen property, another felony, and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, a misdemeanor, along with several summary traffic offenses.

His bail was set at $20,000, cash, which he did not post. He was remanded to Chester County Prison and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 28 before District Judge James V. DeAngelo.

Since Goss’ arrest, a new set of charges for DUI dating back to June 18 in East Vincent were filed. A hearing on those is also scheduled for Aug. 28 before DeAngelo.